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Sekai Gohan

Roust: Bangladeshi Wedding Chicken in Ghee and Yogurt

Servings 6 servings

Bangladeshi roust: bone-in chicken leg quarters simmered in a ghee and yogurt gravy, topped with fried onions, green chilies and almonds
Steps with photos

Ingredients

Ingredient Amount Role
Bone-in chicken leg quarters (thigh and drumstick attached) 6 (about 3 lb / 1.4 kg) The main ingredient
Vinegar ½ cup Marinade; discarded before cooking
Garlic paste 1 tsp for the marinade + 1 tbsp for the sauce Marinade and yogurt mixture, kept separate
Ginger paste 1 tsp for the marinade + 1 tbsp for the sauce Marinade and yogurt mixture, kept separate
Salt ½ tsp for the marinade, plus more to taste Marinade and final seasoning
Ghee, butter or oil 2 cups, divided 1 cup (240 ml) to brown the chicken, the rest for the gravy
Beresta (fried onions) 1 cup (240 ml), divided Half into the gravy, half at the end
Green cardamom pods 8–10 Ground spice
White poppy seeds (posto) 1 tbsp Ground spice, used dry
Cinnamon sticks 3 (about 1 inch each) Ground spice
Ground coriander 2 tsp Spice blend
Ground mace ½ tsp Spice blend
Ground nutmeg ½ tsp Spice blend
Plain unsweetened yogurt 1 cup (240 ml) Base of the gravy
Green chilies 3–4 Finishing heat and freshness
Sugar 1 tbsp Finishing sweetness
Lemon juice 1 tbsp Finishing acidity
Kewra water or rose water 2 tbsp Finishing perfume
Almonds As needed Garnish

Steps

  1. 1Marinate the chicken in vinegar, garlic and ginger

    Rinse the 6 leg quarters, then pat them dry. In a large bowl, stir together the vinegar, 1 tsp garlic paste, 1 tsp ginger paste and ½ tsp salt. Turn the chicken in the mixture until every piece is coated, then cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes to several hours. The marinade is ready when the pieces have rested at least 30 minutes and thin liquid has pooled at the bottom of the bowl.

  2. 2Discard the marinade and brown the chicken

    Lift the chicken out, let it drip, and pour the marinade away; it does not go back into the pan. Pat the pieces dry. Heat 1 cup (240 ml) ghee in the wide pan over medium heat and lay in the chicken, working in two batches if the pan is crowded. Brown for about 10 minutes, turning, until every side is an even golden brown, then move the pieces to a plate and keep the pan.

    Give the chicken room

    Six leg quarters rarely fit flat in one pan. Brown them in two batches so each piece touches the hot ghee directly. An even golden crust here is what keeps the pieces intact and savory through the covered simmer in yogurt.

  3. 3Grind the spices and mix the yogurt

    Put the cardamom pods, dry poppy seeds and cinnamon sticks in a spice grinder and grind them to a fine powder. Tip it into a bowl and add the ground coriander, mace and nutmeg. Stir in 1 tbsp garlic paste, 1 tbsp ginger paste and the yogurt until no streaks of powder remain. The mixture is ready when it is smooth and evenly beige.

  4. 4Build the gravy with fried onions

    Heat the remaining ghee in the pan you browned the chicken in. Add ½ cup beresta and stir it through the fat. Pour in the yogurt mixture and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes. Hold back the sugar, lemon juice and floral water; they come later. Move on when the yogurt is bubbling and has wrapped itself around the onions.

  5. 5Return the chicken and simmer until tender

    Lay the browned chicken back in the pan and turn each piece in the gravy. Cover with the lid and let it cook gently, checking now and then that nothing catches on the bottom. Test the thickest piece next to the bone with the thermometer. The chicken is done when it is tender and the thickest part next to the bone reaches 167°F (75°C) for at least 1 minute.

  6. 6Add the finishing perfume

    Add the green chilies, sugar, lemon juice and kewra water or rose water. Stir gently for 2–3 minutes, lifting the gravy over the chicken rather than pushing the pieces around. Taste and add salt until the sweetness, sourness and spice sit in balance. The gravy is ready for the last step when it turns glossy and the floral scent rises with the steam.

  7. 7Add the last fried onions, rest and serve

    Watch the edges of the pan. When the gravy begins to separate from the ghee, scatter the remaining ½ cup beresta over the chicken. Cover and leave over very low heat for 10–15 minutes. Garnish with almonds and serve, spooning gravy and loosened ghee over each piece.

    Read the ghee, not the clock

    The separating ghee is the cue that the yogurt has cooked down and lost its raw edge. Until the fat pulls away and pools at the edges, the gravy is still too young for the final onions; keep it covered over gentle heat and check again.